Collapsible secure container

ABSTRACT

A secure lockable and collapsible container is provided which finds particular use as a safe storage facility in the bin of bakkies, in boats, trailers or in different sizes in hotel room or lockers. The container includes a tray which has primary sheet members hinged to its low walls to form the walls of a box. These sheet members have formations for engaging adjacent sheet members and one primary sheet member is hinged to a secondary sheet member to complete a box-like arrangement. The sheet members are pivotable from a first position in which they are all, except one, accommodated within the tray, the exception forming a lid for the tray to a second position in which they form the walls of a closed box.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a collapsible secure container for open-backedmotor vehicles or the like including boats, trailers, hotel rooms,lockers, motor cycles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Incidences of theft from vehicles and other high risk areas which cannotbe adequately secured, has increased substantially in recent times.However, space is limited in the bins of light delivery vehicles andalthough people have taken to storing individual items within securecontainers in the bins, these tend to be bulky and must be periodicallyremoved when not in use. Further, this does not prevent the containerbeing removed, although size and weight may limit such unauthorisedremoval.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a securecontainer which may be permanently anchored to the vehicle and whichfurther is adapted to the vehicle and which further is adapted tocollapse for convenient storage when not in use. The container which maybe provided in a variety of sizes, may also find application in boats,trailers, hotel rooms, lockers and even motor cycles.

THE INVENTION

According to the invention, a collapsible container includes a tray:

-   -   the walls of the tray each having hinged thereto primary sheet        members the primary sheet members including inter engaging means        for releasably engaging adjacent sheet members;    -   one of the primary sheet members being further hinged along the        opposite edge to a secondary sheet member;    -   the sheet members being pivotable from a first position in which        all except one are accommodated within the tray, the exception        forming a lid for the tray to a second position in which they        form the walls of a closed box;    -   and means for locking the box thus formed.

In the preferred form of the invention, the tray is adapted to beanchored to a fixed structure, typically a wall of the bin of a bakkie,light delivery vehicle or the like. The tray may include one or moreholes therein for receiving bolts or the like fasteners to secure thecontainer in place.

Also in the preferred form of the invention the primary sheet membersinclude along at least two opposed free edges thereof, a short flange.This prevents the insertion of a screwdriver or other lever like tool inan attempt to pry open the container.

Also in the preferred form, the secondary sheet member includes a flangealong a third free edge thereof.

The tray preferably comprises the rear wall of the container with thesheet member hinged to the upper edge thereof forming the top panel orlid of the container, and the primary sheet member along the lower edgethereof forming the base of the container. It is to this (base) sheetmember that the secondary sheet member is hinged, this secondary sheetmember forming the front wall and including a locking mechanism forengaging the lid. In one form the lid includes an angled sectionextending at least part of the width of the front wall sheet member toform a channel. This receives the flange along the third edge of thefront wall and provides in some instances a locking surface for thelocking mechanism. The locking mechanism may comprise a cam lock or inan alternative form, a safe-lock.

In one form, the flanges along the top edges of the side wall sheetmembers may each include a simple catch for engaging the flange alongthe third edge of the (front wall). This prevents the front wallpivoting flat into the interior of the box during assembly.

In the preferred form, the flanges along the bottom edges of the sidewalls include recesses for receiving integral pins on the underside ofthe base sheet member.

In order to assemble the container from its folded condition, the trayis arranged (if not affixed to the rear wall of the cab) in an uprightposition. The lid sheet member is pivoted vertically away from the frontof the tray and then the side wall sheet members are swung outwards. Thebase sheet member is lowered to the ground and the front wall (orsecondary) sheet member is swung upwardly and outwardly. The side wallsare swung inwardly to engage the pins on the underside of the base andonce secured, the lid is lowered to rest upon the two side walls.Thereafter, the front wall is raised to engage the side wall catches andthe lid to form a closed box. The box may then be locked.

In order to disassemble, the box is unlocked and the lid lifted.Thereafter, the side wall catches are released allowing the front wallto pivot inwardly to rest upon the base. The side walls are swungoutwardly to permit folding of the base up into the tray and then theside walls are swung inwardly into the tray before the lid pivots downto contain the collapsed box within the tray.

The container may comprise a variety of materials including steel,aluminium, plastic or fibreglass. The typical galvanised steel will beused to provide a very secure container which is not susceptible tocorrosion.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric front and side view of a container, partiallyassembled, according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of an assembled container;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the container in a collapsed condition; and

FIG. 4 is a top view of the side panels in the collapsed condition.

In the drawings, a collapsible container 10 includes a tray 12 havingprimary sheet members 14,16 and 18 a and b hinged thereto to form thelid, base and side walls respectively of a box when assembled.

The base primary sheet member 16 is further hinged at 20 to a secondarysheet member 22 which forms the front wall of the box. The hinge issecured to a flange 24 on base 16.

Typically the tray 12 is anchored to a wall or other fixed surface, butthe main object of the invention is that the tray is secured at asuitable point to a wall in the bin of a vehicle. Different version maybe used as hotel wall safes, or secure storage area in trailers, boatsor lockers.

All the sheet members have flanges 26 to prevent insertion of articlesin an attempt to access the locked box. Flange 28 is inserted into achannel formation 30 formed along the front edge of the lid. The rear ofthe channel may form a locking surface for engaging locking arm 32.

Pins 34 are provided to secure the side walls to the base.

Catch mechanisms 36 are provided to secure the front wall to the sidewalls.

1. A collapsible container, comprising: a tray with walls; primary sheetmembers hinged to the walls of the tray, one of the primary sheetmembers being a base sheet member; and a secondary sheet member hingedalong an edge to the base sheet member, the second sheet member servingas a front access member of an assembled closed box; short flangesextending along at least two opposed free edges of the primary sheetmembers, the short flanges extending towards each other to overlay azone of abutment of adjacent primary sheet members to prevent insertionof a prying instrument thereby preventing an inserted prying instrumentforcibly opening the container; and a box lock, wherein, in a firstposition, the primary and secondary sheet members are pivotablypositioned so all of the sheet members, except one exception member, areaccommodated with the tray, the exception member forming a lid for thetray, in a second position, the primary and secondary sheet members formwalls of the assembled closed box, the box lock locks the closed box,and the short flanges including recesses for receiving integral pins onthe underside of the base sheet member for releasably engaging adjacentones of the primary sheet members, wherein the secondary sheet memberincludes a flange along a third free edge thereof, the flange along thethird free edge extending into an interior of the closed box to preventforcible opening, and wherein the lid includes an angled sectionextending at least partly along a width of the lid to form a channel forreceiving the flange along the third free edge of the secondary sheetmember.
 2. The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein, primary sheetmembers located at sides of the base sheet member comprise side walls ofthe closed box, and the flanges along bottom edges of the side wallsinclude apertures for receiving integral pins on an underside of thebase sheet member, the pins extending vertically through the aperturesto hold together the side walls and the base sheet member.